Former National 400m champion Demish Gaye is hoping that Jamaica’s mile-relay team will have better fortunes at the IAAF World Relays, in Yokohama, Japan than they did two years ago in The Bahamas.

The biennial games, which began in 2014 were hosted by The Bahamas for the first three stagings and makes its way to Asia for the first time.

Gaye was a member of the bronze medal-winning quartet in 2017, but hopes that he and his teammates will experience better results this time around.

Gaye and national 400m record holder Rusheen McDonald engaged in a keen contest in the men’s 400m at the NIKE Seniors Link Up Meet at the National Stadium last weekend as they fine-tuned preparations for the relays, with Gaye winning in 45.41s ahead of McDonald (45.50s) in a close contest.

It was a season opener for the Sprintec athlete, who is currently in Japan ahead of the World Relays which gets underway today.

He was pleased with his performance despite not dipping below the 45-second barrier.

“I am pleased with my performance, it wasn’t a bad season opener,” he expressed. “I can’t complain because I had some issues earlier up in the season which kept me out of competition, so I am just grateful to finish the race injury free.”

Both Gaye and McDonald are set to run together in the 4x400m which has been dominated by the United States of America, which holds the record of 2:57.25, set at the first staging at the Thomas Robinson National Stadium in Nassau in 2014.

While hoping to earn a medal better than bronze this time around, the 26-year-old was quick to point out that success did not rest solely on his burly shoulders.

“It’s a team thing so let’s see how it goes, but I definitely think we have a good chance of winning a medal. Hopefully it’s better than the last one I got two years ago,” Gaye said.

The USA has won the Men’s 4x400m final at the three previous stagings of the event.

— Dwayne Richards